When They Turn
by Crazyhumor
Summary: Rose is the fourteen year old daurghter of Daryl Dixon and Carol. Something happens to her group and she has the chance to go back seventeen years and attempt to right a few wrongs and save a few lives.


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This world use to be very different, they say. They tell her monsters didn't use to exist.

But now they do, and from the very day she was born, she was taught to fear and destroy them. She was taught to never underestimate them because they appear very slow, and as the years go by most have become harmless with them losing there own limbs and such. Only last week one had fallen apart in front of her eyes when she was out with her father.

But, when the girl thinks about it, the monsters her family - her group - are talking about are the humans. The never ending stream of evil, desperate, crazed people who always wanted what they had. Real monsters…

Early, this early in the morning there is no sound. Only the hoots of an owl, a murmur from Akin as he quietly talks to himself, and a hum from a generator. So, when the yells raise up from the field below, down near the east wall, she is stiff and her body leans right as she looks down the hill, the grass glowing with the finally rising sun. From hear nothing, she can't even see the wall.

"Did you hear that?" Aiken whispers his head appearing below her, light brown curls bouncing in his face as he looks up, hazel eyes wide. The fourteen year old gives the twelve year old a blank look.

"Of course I did, you idiot!" The girl snaps. "Go find your dad!" She leans back and slings her rifle over her shoulder before climbing down the ladder.

The much shorter boy stares at her. "What are you going to do?" He asks slowly as if he's afraid of asking.

Her short brown hair sticks to her face, this morning is unusually humid. "I'm going to check it out."

He bounces and whines. She lightly scowls at him, this kid is nothing like his parents… such a wuss. Her blue eyes got towards the hill. "You can't…" He loudly squeaks. "You're going to get into trouble again."

"Will you just go, dang!" She ended up shoving the boy towards the large building stretching up a hundred yards away. They had called it a high school. The boy stumbles a little and huffs, glaring at her impressively.

"Whatever Rose, if you want to get yourself into a big pile of steaming dog shit go ahead. But, I ain't going to get my butt bruised with you!" He turns and begins to jog back.

"Stinking - Shitty pants!" She yells after him. He gives her a crude finger.

She turns around and faces the hill, letting it go and quickly runs towards the noise. Her boots slid on the wet grass as she moves down the hill. She comes to the wall after a hasty run, slightly out of breath.

The wall is only seven feet tall, but it's thick. At first it was only a gate, the brick wall was finished being built when she was about five years old, it was only extra protection from the walkers. So far the gates hadn't been breached, not by walkers anyway. There's a hole in the wall back here, mostly as an escape if the front of their home was breached, which was why it was monitored daily. No one actually expected it to be because it was right outside a fast moving river, in which they got their water and plumbing system from - thanks to Mr. Jackson. It was seriously their safest location, which she believed was the very reason they even allowed her and Akin to watch it. It seriously got on her nerve how they still treated her like a baby and roped her in with a wet blanket like Akin.

She gently squeezed herself through the hole, finding herself in-between the gate and the wall. She quickly jogged down to the gate, unlocking it with her key which she had because of being in charge of watching this side of their home.

Locking it behind her she entered into the forest. Walking a bit, the girl listened, feeling odd about not hearing anything since the watch tower. Sweat taints her shirt.

Another yell has her flinching. She could hear a loud whistle and a hoot, which sent a chill down her spine… Hunters… This far out? This close to them.

She begins to back up, her heart moving quickly inside her chest. Then were they going back on their truce? Maybe it was another group?

Very quickly she turned and began heading back home, then she could hear feet moving her way over fallen leaves. No time to run, she hides, throwing herself behind a clump of bushes. A second later a bleeding limping man appears, he's looking behind him and he falls. He then scrambles to his feet and starts to run again, but falls.

She gently curses herself as she moves from around her bush, when she touches the man he turns around quickly eyes wide. The girl quietly shushes the man and, marveling briefly at how old he looked, older then her dad and Akin's. It was rare to find someone this old. She motions him behind her bush, when he only stares, she motions again.

"Hide with me," the girl whispers.

He once again stares at her, but a odd smile comes over his face and for a second she thinks she's been tricked.

"Go back…" He whispered sitting up and digging into his pocket. Her hands go to her blade at her side. But the man only pulls out a thin stick looking thing and a lighter. "You can go back with this." His words make absolutely no sense. "You have to find me and tell me I'm right… I'm in North Carolina… you have to…" His brown eyes shimmer with tears. "Take it…" He then shoves the items into her hands. "All this can be adverted."

"Your not making an - "

"You can go back with this and make everything right."

Foots steps got closer, along with a hoot. The girl quietly cursed, if the man didn't want help, whatever. She quickly darted back around her bush, not letting go of the lighter and stick for some odd reason shoving them into her pocket.

The man smiled as he got up again and began running. A second later the hunters appear, a man and woman.

"We have to let this one go." The woman says.

The man grunts.

"We're too close to that group. We certainly don't want to go against our truce before time." The woman smiles. Go against our truce before time? For whatever reason that greatly stuck out to the girl.

"There were two people here, I'm not mistaken." The man says bending down and touching the earth. "Smaller footprints and…"

The woman grunts this time. "We have no time for this. Let him go, he hardly looked like he had any meat on him anyway."

The man grunts.

Rose holds her breath until they are both gone and she begins to stand but a hand wraps around her mouth and a pair of strong arms wrap around her. She begins to panic before catching the odor of the being holding her - wood, gun powder, sweat, and something she couldn't never put her finger on. Her heart began to hammer in her chest but not out of fear.

She was then turned and met a pair of angry green eyes, his dark hair flops down - Carl Grimes. His look makes her feel small and incredibly childish and she blushes.

"What in the hell are you doing out here?" He glances around him briefly. "Are you crazy?"

She looked at her best friend, who she considered her best friend anyway. She also considered herself in love with the man fourteen years her senior. But he obviously didn't have any similar feelings. If anyone could make her feel like a dumb child it was him.

"There was a man and hunters…" She quickly tried defending herself. "I…"

"Hunters?" He interrupted her and she nodded eagerly. He frowned. She was happy he was distracted by this news. He gave her a sharp look. "Don't think I forgot about this. Your dad is going to chew you out."

"I was only…"

"Not thinking," he finishes and stands. "Let's get back, half the fucking group is looking for you."

"I don't think I did anything wrong." She crosses her arms and juts out her chin.

"You're not to bright, but you're not completely dumb." He begins to walk away. "Leaving your post, wondering around outside the wall by yourself, calling Akin shitty pants…"

"He told you that?" The girl whined.

He grinned and scratched the brown stubble on his face. "No, but it's something you would say and he looked like he was trying not to cry."

"Wimp…" Her steps mirror his as she followed him back. He laughed a vibrating laugh, but his smile never reached his eyes. She watched him carefully, she always did. He was quiet, his green eyes hidden, his thoughts hidden. "I'm going to marry you." Her words make him stumble. "I'm going to make you smile for real."

He laughs nervously. "What are you talking about?" He frowns at her. "I smile all the time."

"Hmmm" She gently shakes her head.

"Silly kid," he gently mumbles and ruffles her hair.

()

Her head lowers as they enter through the front gate, catching site of the few people making their way over to greet them. Catching sight of her father walking slower then everyone else, his enraged face visible from their distance.

He was going to chew her out.

"Are you alright?" Carl's father - Rick - asked. His face worn with years of worry, his scruffy bread nearly completely white now. She was sure he was younger then he looked.

"I'm fine." The child mumbles, her eyes going briefly to her father, who had stopped and was burning a hole in her face. "I don't think I'll be for long." She mumbles under her breath.

"Before anyone chews her out." Carl cut in causing her to glance up at him. "She mentioned something about hunters being in the area."

"Is that true?"

The girl looked up at their leader and nodded eagerly, hoping this would offset the thick amount of disappointment coating the air. "Two of them chasing a man." She tells them. Rick frowns and glances at her father, who shifts his gaze to the man.

"Could be they accidentally stumbled onto the land." Nick McConnell says, throwing the thought out there. Nick was one of the many other people who had come to the group after she was born. So, she never really considered him part of the 'main' group.

Rick nodded. "Could be… but I think we'll have to have a talk with Donald." He looks at her silent father. "I'm guessing you would like to have a word with your daughter."

Everyone leaves, Carl shooting her a sympathetic glance over his as he leaves her alone with her father.

A gust of wind blows between them and she bites her lip, shifting from one foot to the other.

"Geez… could you say something already…" She mumbles.

"What were you thinking?" He asks, his voice tightening as he tries to keep his anger in check.

His child squints up at him, her lip pokes out in a pout.

"I was only trying to help."

His face never changes beside his blue eyes narrowing. "That look isn't going to work on me today, Rose. That was real stupid what you did. What ya don't got a brain anymore?"

"Of course I do…" She lightly sniffs. "I already regret it." The girl glances up at him and he looks panicked, likely thinking she was going to cry.

"Oh come on, Rose…" He takes a step in her direction, but comes to a stop. A moment later, "it ain't going to work, girl. It almost… but… go to your room, I'll deal with you later."

She gently sighs. It worked better when she was younger. "Fine."

()

Rose moved onto her back as she laid on her bed, her head moving a little to glance at the curtain that was pulled closed which separated her side from her dad's. He wasn't back yet from whatever meeting he had with the others - the adults…

She made a face and sighed. Her eyes go to the tiny table beside her cot and reaching out for it, the girl takes hold of the crinkled Polaroid photo and blinks at it - it was a photo of her mother and father, eight years ago when they officially got 'married'. She's in it too, six years old wearing some ugly thing Akins's mom made. They look happy.

She tries to remember her mom, but can only get an out line. But as she thinks now she can sort of get her voice. It chokes her up and she wipes at her eyes. She had gotten really sick - her mom - the winter she was seven…

"Hey chief…" Her father's soft voice made her jump and she glared at him. Hating when he would sneak up on her. He only grinned, his face worn even more in the harsh lantern light. "What you got there?"

He took a seat beside her on the bed and she hands him the item. He holds it in his hands, a far away looks takes him away. She moves and sits beside him, resting her head onto his shoulder.

"I'm really sorry, dad." She admits. "It was real stupid of me."

"Yeah." He agrees. "I wasn't always nice to your mom." He completely changes subjects.

She quickly sits up, her dad never liked mentioning her mom. So when he wants to talk it was in her best interest to listen. "Really?"

"Yeah, I was a real douche bag. Honestly didn't like your ma much, thought the woman was awfully useless." He laughs.

She makes a face. "Well, how did you change that?"

"I didn't… Well, she wore me out. Got under my skin." He gently pats her head. "You were her miracle baby… she was so freaking old."

"Dad seriously, sometimes your flattery sounds like insults…" She glares at him.

"All I'm saying is… she was really happy to have you. She was hell-bent on keeping you safe, especially after what happened with Sophia."

Sophia… Her sister she had never gotten to meet. It was weird. "Are you trying to say mom loved me a lot?" The girl asks lightly.

"Yes," he then kisses the top of her head, "and I love you too."

"I love you too."

()

"Akin Grimes!" Rose bellowed out loudly as she quickly jogged down the grassy hill. Said boy cringed and hid behind Carl who he was with. "Shitty ass, give it back!"

Carl stood still as the children began to run around him, Rosy Dixon chasing his poor baby brother with harmful intent.

"I have no idea what your talking about!" Akin squeaked, light tan face flushed.

"You took my new blade!" The girl tripped him.

"It was mine first!"

"Ah ha! You do have it then!" She growled.

Carl snags Rose by her shirt before the girl can jump Akin.

"You really are going to have to stop beating up my brother." he gently sighs.

"He's a sneaky little bug!" She yells. She fights against his hold, but he holds on strong.

"She's evil, Carl!" Akin whines. "She makes up crap and likes to steal my things!"

"He's a thief… he likes to sneak into peoples rooms when they aren't there!"

Carl sighs. " Rose take a walk with me." That gets the teen to stop and look up at the older male.

"I can do that!" The girl exclaims eagerly. He gives her a look before glancing at his brother.

"Dad wanted you for something." Akin hardly has to be told more then once.

"You want to take a walk?"

He begins walking without another word and she quickly moves to follow. He walks fast and she lightly jogs. "When I was your age I was just like you." He begins. "Always going off on my own, thinking I had stuff figured out." He glances at her and she looks at him blank faced. "You can't always do stuff on your own. Stuff… takes more then a single being at times, it never hurts to have a person to watch your back. So, if you have anymore crazy ideas, come and see me." The girl blinks up at him and he wonders if he had made any sense.

"Alright." The girl shrugs.

That was easy…

Rose grinned, she would literally do anything Carl wanted her to do. Her face grew hot as he openly gawked at her. "Uh…"

"Carl!"

They both looked and watched at Amelia Gonzales moves over to them. Rose making a face of annoyance and Carl grins like an idiot. Yes idiot is the correct word the young girl decides. Amelia smiles at them both as she comes to a stop in front of them panting.

"We have to go on a run together." She gives Rose a nod. He nods looking much to happy about this 'run'.

"Can I go?" Rose quickly cuts in.

Carl blinks down at her. "Uh…"

"I went on one with my dad last week. I'm fourteen now, I can go."

"I don't think anyone is going to let you outside after your escape yesterday." Carl reminded. "Besides… runs are boring. It's just going out to some of the crop farms." He glances at Amelia. "You'll be bored."

"No I won't."

"You can't go this time." He gently sighs. "I'll see you later, Rose." The man leaves with Amelia, leaving Rose feeling empty, alone, and snuffed.

Seriously she's not at all dumb. She can tell exactly what Amelia and Carl was going to do on this 'run', and it wasn't only picking grapes from that vineyard. Gah… Why was she fourteen years younger then Carl. He had changed her diapers for goodness sake. Not fair…

()

Rose watches Akin hug his mother getting a kiss from the woman. She made a face - big wimp. Honestly though it made her heart hurt and ting of jealously to set in. The cafeteria is always busy in the mornings, which was why she liked lunch better, but Akin and her had a 'job' to do that would be long and stinky.

Akin made his way over, nearly skipping, she took a drink of her water.

"Hi!" He greets.

She openly rolls her eyes. "Lets go… I still can't believe I have to pick vegetables with you."

Rose gently scratched her hair under her hat, her face covered in sweat from working outside all day picking carrots out of the ground. Akin hummed softly to himself getting on her nerves greatly.

She looked up and glared at the younger being. "Will you shut up?" Said boy looked up and rolled his eyes, waving his hand his mouth opened as he began to say something but a loud pop made her hit the ground out of instinct. A second later Akin hit the ground as well, but was unmoving.

Her eyes widened. "Akin?" She whispered out very shakily. No..no…no… she quickly crawled over, openly staring at the blood pooling out around the unconscious boy. He had a whole in his abdomen. "Akin…" Tears slipped from her blue eyes as she gently shook him, his tanned face was growing paler with each second.

She looked up, back in the way the gunshot had come from, her heart hammering. Shouts sprung up from other sides of their home. They were under attack. She tried grabbing the boy and pulling him, but more gunshots rang out. The girl had no other choice but to run.

()

Everyone was running about and orders were being shouted. Seeing her father running towards her she quickly ran to him and he threw his arms around her. Hot tears raced down her face and her body shook, her eyes opened and she gently pushed away from her father.

"Akin…" She quickly said, her eyes going to Rick and Akin's mother who was behind her dad. "He…he… we have to help Akin!"

Akin's mother's brows furrowed and her brown eyes moved up and down Rose's blood stained clothing quickly. "No… no…" The woman whispered already taking off in direction Rose had come from. An equally horrified looking Rick followed.

"Dad…"

"Come on, were going to get you inside."

The girl hadn't the energy to argue.

Hours go by and attacks diminish, leaving everyone numb and huddled in the cafeteria. A lot of people cry about those lost but none of them stand out like Aiken's mother's.

She told him to shut up, her last words to him. He was her friend, yes, he was weak and annoying but he was her friend and they had done everything together, she had protected him

"Are you feeling alright?" Her blue eyes leave the Grimes family and go to her father, "stupid question." He mumbled.

"Akin he… What happened? Who was that?"

Her father rubbed his neck. "Hunters…they're attacking us."

Rose frowns words from a few days ago entering her mind. 'We certainly don't want to go against our truce before time.' Her body tenses. Could she have actually stopped all this?

"You alright?" Her father's touches her head and she moves away, panicking.

"No!" She whispers wiggling from her seat and moving through the cafeteria, slipping by guards and out, ignoring their yells for her to return.

She made it all the way to her room, Carl to her surprise on her heels.

"Your going to have to stop doing this." Carl panted slightly. She turned facing him, but found it hard. His baby brother was gone and it was her fault.

Her hands dug into her pockets, hands running over the lighter and stick given by the man in the woods. 'You can go back' 'You can right wrongs'. Her mind began to whirl. In no way did she believe that man but…

"You have to co - " Carl was interrupted by the loud blare of the alarm. "Damn," he cursed. "Come on, come on…" He grabbed her and began dragging her back.

()

The escape tunnels are filled with walkers so they are now stuck. Anyone over fifteen is outside fighting, they have been for over five hours, no one has returned. Pounding is coming from the large locked doors but it isn't anyone good at all.

Rose is stunned as younger children cry around her. She has no idea what to do. They aren't going to survive.

Out of desperation she gets the lighter and stick from her pocket and with shaky hands, and youthful hopefulness, she lights it and wishes. Closing her eyes as it burns, she loudly sobs.

"Please…"

()

She wakes up, her gaze on a cloudless sky. Frowning she very slowly sits up looking at all the trees surrounding her. She was confused. How had she gotten outside?

A snarl made her turn around and scramble to her feet as the walker shuffled her way. Her eyes darted around briefly and she moved avoiding the walkers arms.

He came at her again and she ended up shoving and kicking the walker, bringing it onto the ground onto it's back. She then picks up a rock she had seen earlier with a small bit of difficulty and slams it over the walkers head.

Breathing heavy she looked up, wiping blood from her face. A man appears through the brush a second later, a crossbow in his hands.

The girl mouth falls open. "Dad?"

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